


Hellfire

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Twisted Princesses - Jeftoon01
Genre: Animal Sidekick, Burns, Character Death, Dark, Destruction, Fire, Gen, Inspired by Art, Inspired by Fanart, Magic, Magical Artifacts, Violence, What if?, gypsies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-23
Updated: 2012-07-23
Packaged: 2017-11-10 15:56:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/468050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Pheobus had not been assigned to Paris, and Esmeralda had been caught then?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hellfire

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/116/e/6/twisted_princess__esmeralda_by_jeftoon01-d3ev2nc.jpg) Twisted Princes image made by Jeffery Thomas.

Their sentry was new, young, and he waited until the soldiers were too close before he called the alarm. Esmeralda gathered her things as quickly as she could, but she wasn't fast enough, and the guards grabbed her. She fought, as did Djali, but more guards were called and they were quickly overtaken.

She was dragged before Frollo, who looked her up and down appreciatively before declaring that she be burned. Esmeralda cringed inside, but she tried not to show it to this heartless man. He was the kind of man who enjoyed the suffering of others, and she was determined not to give him the satisfaction.

Three days later she was dragged from her cage and pulled, kicking and biting, to the platform. It took seven of the men to do it, but she was tied to the post at the center of the platform, and then bundles of sticks were piled at her feet.

The entire time, she glared at Frollo, sitting haughtily on his throne. She dared him to forget her face, and her hatred of him, when she was gone.

The branches were lit, and the fire began to creep towards her feet. She spared a desperate wish that they had not taken her pouch, as it contained a special talisman that was said to save one near death. Most gypsy "magic" was illusion and sleight of hand, but Esmeralda's family had passed down a few ancient items of real magic.

Her feet began to burn, and she bit back screams as the pain shot through her. It was too late to wish for a talisman, or to hope for a rescue. She was dying, and that would be the end of her.

As the flames raced up her sides, the world began to black out around her. She thought she heard her name called, but it was faint. She thought she saw her brother Clopin leap onto the platform and throw something at her, but it was all so blurry and unbelievable. Finally, she let the darkness take her.

o-o-o

She awoke in darkness and agony, but the pain retreated slightly from the cool weight on her chest. Struggling to look down, Esmeralda made out a faint golden outline. She couldn't see very well out of one eye, but the look she got was enough to know. This was the family relic, rumored to keep the dead alive.

Clopin had returned for her, it seemed, and Djali must have helped him find where her pouch had been stashed. Relieved, she allowed the darkness to claim her again.

o-o-o

Esmeralda kept to the edges of the gypsy camp, trying to avoid the stares. Some nights she believed that the only reason she was not run from the camp was because of her brother's standing. She who had once been the beautiful gypsy princess, dancing for coin and hearts, was now the terrifying witch of children's nightmares. The only one who stayed by her side was Djali, though he had become sharper, leaner, affected by the isolation.

The Court had fled from Paris, and Frollo's prosecution, but not soon enough for Esmeralda. Burning pain still raced through her shriveled limbs, and her dead eye cast flickering flames around the sides of her vision. Some nights she looked down at the medallion embedded in her chest and wished that Clopin hadn't saved her.


End file.
